During the past winter she had become the sensation of the metropolis. Her wealth, her beauty, her palaces, and her entertainments had made her the subject of endless comment. She had set a pace for extravagance which made the old leaders stand aghast. And the one thing which made her letter well nigh resistless was that he alone of all the world knew the inner life of this beautiful woman whose name was on a thousand lips. Her worldly wise mother might have guessed it but she had been dead for the past five years, and the secret was his alone. He read her letter over again and looked thoughtfully at the pile of legal documents in the case of _Woodman against the American Chemical Company_ lying on his desk. "It's her work beyond a doubt!" he said at last, "and the doctor will never believe it." He was waiting the arrival of his old friend for a conference over Bivens's offer of compromise and he dreaded the ordeal. If he should refuse this final chance of settlement he would make a mistake that could not be undone. The result was even worse than he could possibly foresee. "So the little weasel has offered to compromise my suit for half the sum we named, eh?" the doctor asked in triumph. "I assure you that if the case comes to its final test you are certain to lose." "So you have said again and again, my boy"--was the good-natured reply, "but his sudden terror and this offer shows that we have won already and he knows it. Greater thieves, who have ruined their competitors in the same way, are urging him to settle this suit and prevent others from being brought." "I don't think so." "It's as plain as daylight." "There's another motive." "Nonsense," persisted the doctor, his whole being aglow with enthusiasm, "Bivens has seen the hand-writing on the wall. When the American people are once aroused their wrath will sweep the Trusts into the bottomless pit." "Bivens isn't worrying about the people or their wrath." "Then it's time he began!" the doctor cried. "Mark my word, the day of the common people has dawned. This mudsill of the world has learned to read and write and begun to think. He has tasted of the tree of knowledge of good and evil and begins dimly to see his own nakedness. He will never be content again until he turns the world upside down. My country will lead the way as in the past." "But if in the meantime you and yours go down in ruin?" "I refuse to consider it. The cause of the people and their day has come. I will stand or fall with them. Remember, my boy, that at last the idea has been born that we are all--men! It's new--it's revolutionary. A few centuries ago the people slept in ignorance. Of the twenty-six barons who signed the Magna Charta only three could write their names--the rest could only make their mark. The average workingman of to-day is more cultured than the titled nobleman of yesterday--the people once thoroughly aroused--let fools find shelter!"